Its a personal decision. I use a linear risk verses reward analysis. 1. If the headers never fail the warranty is never needed. 2. If the headers fail FNA would have to believe the Capristo brackets effected the MTBF of the MK1 / MK2s. This is possible, but the header failure is a known failure with an associated Ferrari technical service Bulletin. 3. If you keep the factory headers and exhaust brackets and have a failure, Ferrari will replace the headers in several countries including Canada and the USA. 4. If the failure includes internal engine damage then you have to approach Ferrari to cover the repair which can easily reach ~$50K. Ferrari has in some cases covered parts and labor, or just parts, or nothing. The legalities involving collateral damage may seem black and white, but in practice it will be you against Ferrari. A. Install Capristo Brackets; -Risk: Ferrari wont replace headers because of aftermarket brackets -Cost: $550 B. Install Aftermarket Headers and brackets; -Risk: Vehicle sounds better and has slightly increased performance -Cost: $4-7k C. Keep factory MK1 / MK2 headers and exhaust brackets; -Risk: Catastrophic engine damage from collateral damage from failed headers. Lots of loss of use while vehicle repaired. -Cost: $4-50K depending on damage, Ferrari's assistance, and corse of action.
I got a f430 spider from 2007, which has about 3k miles on it. Based on the posts here it sounds like I'd be crazy to drive with the car without swapping headers. Can it really be so? What is the fault rate or percentage of owners with this problem? Has there been recalls?
Understood. Since I have, and intend to maintain, a Power warranty as long as I own my car (or for as long as they will sell one--up to ten years old) I would hope and expect that any catastrophic engine failure due to sucking pieces of the precat into the engine would be covered even under their most basic (power train) warranty. I just can't imagine Ferrari refusing to cover a blown engine under these circumstamces.
Its covered under a Ferrari "campaign" 1661 [attached], not a recall. Just the headers are covered, and its USA and Canada (federal emission laws). Failure rate? Very high. Consider this; most 430s are driven very little, i.e. 10k miles is "high milage", and many, many 430s have had the headers replaced under 1661. My 430 is getting its THIRD set installed and I have a fourth set that will be installed right after the third. (long story) but will be removing the MK2s and installing Fabspeed headers. This is with 16K miles on the odometer. My miles have been very "easy" miles, no track days, no Ricky racing, and very few full load pulls. If I could do it over again I would have at least put on the Capristo brackets to relieve the stress. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I just spoke to my dealership. They still dont have an ETA on my replacement headers. They also said that engine damage caused by failure of the headers will NOT be covered by FNA because it is a preventible failure. Preventible if I stop driving the car. The driving season is quite short here north of the border. I may have driven my car for the last time this year. I am not happy.
>UPDATE< From the parts manager of Ferrari of Palm Beach regarding the Headers for my 2006 F430 MK2 per service bulletin 1661 : "Ferrari has told me that the eta for these is the end of this week, so I should see them by Monday or Tuesday." Maybe I will be back on the road by 9/16/2012 if all stars align. Lots of work to do between getting my 430 back and driving: 1. Change to Fabspeed headers+Trent_Blankets (see single subject thread DIY on blanket creation) 2. Use 7mm borescope on all 8 Cyl. 3. Flush contaminated Cyl with heavy oil. Rinse+Repeat. 4. Compression Check + Leakdown (might skip leakdown if its a pain) 5. Change plugs (may as well. got them for a song on Amazon.com, $14 each, dealer charges around $50 / ea) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RLTTPI/ref=pe_175190_21431760_M2T1_ST1_dp_1 6. Install Capristo exhaust brackets. 7. Install Racelogic thermal strips to compare temps. 8. Measure header and blanket temps with Infrared thermometer
Trent, are you/FoPB concerned with driving your car after the MK2 header install if you still have loose bits in the cylinder? Shouldn't the dealership perform that task for you?
Believe me, you don't want any of this OEM MK2 header Sh*t, I have been there, just get some Capristo's and live your life
Great news! Hopefully the headers ordered for my car will arrive shortly. When was yours ordered? Pls share. Thanks. PM me if you wish.
No. Because the inspection would not be covered under warranty, and in most cases collateral damage from header failures is also not covered under warranty. I will inspect and clean myself because NOBODY loves the car more than me I have asked FPB service NOT to test drive it post header install for this reason. It will be flat bedded back to my door with no miles other than loading and unloading. I will live with that 3 min of idle. There was no audible knocking or visible foreign objects before sending down to FPB, I had blown out the Cyl(s). The most effective way was using the engines own compression. I also tried compressed air and magnets. I do not see the extra $2650* of value in Capristo over Fabspeed (80% premium), although I think capristo makes fine products and will use their exhaust brackets (waiting in garage). The Fabspeed headers are of top quality per my personal inspection of my delivered units. *assuming you make your own blankets per DIY. Otherwise its apples / oranges because Capristo does not list their blankets separately, but did read $1100 on some thread here at some time. Making the delta $1600. I am ok paying for added quality, value, performance, etc, but do not see the premium in this case. The proof that I will pay for quality is reflected in my vehicle purchases Car went to FPB on 7/4/2012. Lets call it one month so far. Others have been waiting 3+ months.
My December 07 430 has just had a diagnosis of the same cracked exhaust precat problem. With all this going on around the world and obviously Ferrari must know it as a common manufacturing defect, the fault should have had a major recall way before this and rectified at their cost and not the mug innocent owner....my 2c. Lunch an engine and your in for one hell of a bad time.
Coming in late to the discussion but rather than use a gas siphon to pull the oil out, try and find a stronger form of vacuum...maybe even a shop vac with a taped on small nozzle to get into the cylinder. My logic is that it'll 'pull' harder on the oil and hopefully with the viscosity of the oil and induced turbulence, all foreign matter will get dislodged. Also use as wide a pipe as possible to get in the cylinder. Regarding hydro-lock. Last few steps... change the oil for petrol (gas). Then blow compressed air in for 10 minutes...what's left will evaporate. Could even turn the motor over with the associated plug out. Haven't read all the posts so apologies if this has already been suggested. Good luck.
Hey Trent, thanks for keeping this thread going... the info is extremely valuable for all of you with Ferrari headers on your F430's. Let us know what you think of the Fabspeed headers once they are installed! Jeff
There is no known problem with MK2 headers, they just kill the sound output as they are a different design & for me that is not ok
Hey Rob, Let me know if you are in need of a replacement set of headers. Our Fabspeed headers are proven to not fail like the OEM ones. They also offer a nice boost in sound and power (although that is not as important considering the topic of this thread). We have a lifetime warranty and special FChat pricing. PM or email me if you are interested. Thanks! Jeff
What is more interesting is that the real issue is not crappy MK1 headers (oh and they are crappy), its a design issue; the solid exhaust system mounting without expansion points for thermal and differential motor mount configurations (engine 2x, trans 1x). The Capristo exhaust brackets $550 do fix this issue and would "likely" make the MK1s last for a very long time. Ferrari should have had an exhaust bracket recall on all 430s, much less expensive for them in parts and labor than the header replacement and is generally believed to be the root of the issue.
I will probably try a shop vac as well, who knows what will actually work. The plugs are tiny; this 9mm plug hole does not leave much room for a hose and wiggle room for said hose. That is step 7. as indicated. Thanks.
Update : 9/10/2012 Dealer has received MK2 headers from Ferrari and the installation was assigned to a tech.
Based on this thread, I just ordered the Capristo exhaust brackets. Wish me luck trying to install them myself next weekend.
